Cameroon Red Cross Crusades for Funds

Cameroon Red Cross (CRC) President, William Eteki Mboumoua, has launched an appeal to individuals as well as national and international organisations to generously contribute to enable the emergency humanitarian fund of the movement function well.

He launched the appeal during a press briefing at the CRC headquarters in Yaounde January, 30.Eteki Mboumoua said the fund was created last year to keep the CRC in a position where it can spontaneously assist victims of catastrophes when they do strike.

He noted that the fund was created because subventions from the State are grossly insufficient to enable the smooth functioning of the CRC, let alone reacting in cases of emergency.

Eteki said sometimes assistance from partners also come in late thereby rendering the execution of their task difficult.He mentioned a fund raising gala night organised by the CRC in collaboration with CERAC, and one by the Littoral Regional movement of CRC, all geared at enriching the resources of the fund.

Noting that the CRC Littoral fund raising was the initiative of its President, Eteki said it was apparently not very successful because it was organised in December when companies had closed their accounts for the year and families were spending for end-of-year feasts.

He called on other Regional movements of CRC to follow the example of volunteers of the Littoral, noting that funds could be raised using many other avenues and not necessarily through gala nights.

He proposed that through sensitisation on the importance of such a fund, institutions and individuals could decide to chip in moderate amounts at the end of every month and the mission assigned to such an emergency humanitarian fund could still be achieved.

The CRC President said the movement has benefited from foreign partners and could, therefore, boast of materials including vehicles, tents, blankets, and so on, needed to support vulnerable people in times of crises.

Addressing volunteers and partners at a separate ceremony to exchange New Year wishes, Eteki condemned some partner institutions that are struggling to take over the role assigned to CRC.

The Secretary General of CRC, Julbert Tonye, also used the occasion to present the balance-sheet of the movement for the year 2008.

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